Halloween, Irish Traditions

Origins of Samhain the True Story of Halloween

The idea of night and day was central to everyday existence in Celtic cultureBealtaine and Samhain were two of their most important holidays. Their year was split between a dark half and a light half, and the transition from one to the other was celebrated with festivities. Samhain is a term that is often translated to mean “summer’s end,” and it was certainly a festival that took place during the darker half of the year.

It was considered more important than Bealtaine (and another two lesser festivals known as Imbolc and Lughnasadh) because the dark half of the year was more dangerous and more likely to be sorrowful. A 24-hour festival was held from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st to say goodbye to the light and welcome the dark.

The Celts also held the belief that during this time of twenty-four hours, the deceased were able to travel between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Because of this, it was very necessary to treat the dead with respect and refrain from doing anything that would offend them.

Samhain was a festival that was observed not just by Irish Celts but also by their equivalents in Scotland and Manx, as well as by numerous variants of the festival with subtle modifications in Wales and Brittany. It is mentioned in some of Ireland’s earliest written documents, which date back to the 10th century, although it had already been in existence for a significant amount of time before then.

According to the opinions of those knowledgeable in the subject, it most likely began while the Celts were still pastoral people. They would have spent the summer cultivating crops and raising animals, and the winter gathering food and going into hibernation. Their life would have revolved around the seasons.

It was a crucial time of year for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the end of October would have been the period when commerce and fighting would have paused until the weather improved again. The date was often selected for the holding of significant tribal meetings and was also used as a jumping-off point for the creation of myths and stories.

The Hill of Tara

Tiachtga and the Hill of Tara are two hills in the Boyne Valley that are especially linked with Samhain. Of the two, Tiachtga is considered to be the more significant hill. The Great Fire festival, which was held there, was by a significant margin the largest event of its kind in the surrounding region. When the massive fire at Tiachtga was finally set ablaze, it was an indication that everything was in order and that further flames could be constructed.

In addition, it signaled the beginning of the enormous feast. Nevertheless, Tara was thought to be noteworthy due to the fact that the Mound of Hostages, which was located towards the top of the hill, was aligned with the rising sun during that time of year.

Celebration of the Festival of the Dead

It was believed that the veil that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead was at its thinnest during the holiday of Samhain. This allowed otherworldly spirits, both good and bad, to move freely back and forth between the two worlds. Because of this, things were fairly difficult for the surviving Celts, as they wanted to both welcome back their loved ones and keep off the bad spirits, which was a challenge given the circumstances.

It was stated that the time from sunset to sunset was “between years,” which simply means that time did not pass during that period of time, making it possible for anything to take place. Around this period, the many different legendary beings and spirits from Irish mythology, such as the banshee, the pooka, and of course, the fairies, were all quite active.

According to urban legend, if a human apprehended a banshee at Samhain, they would be able to put an end to her suffering and ensure that she would never inflict it on another human again.

The homes of the fairies in the underworld as well as the fairies themselves were completely visible to humans, and humans were fully able to interact with them. However, if humans did anything that was considered offensive or disrespectful, or if they broke any rules, they would be cast into the “other” world and would never be allowed to return.

The walking dead also have the ability to converse with the living and to demand payment for obligations that had previously been owed. Burial grounds, as well as crossroads, bridges, and the borders of neighboring lands, served as portals for ghosts to go between dimensions as they passed through the area. Because of this, many individuals decided it was safer to remain indoors and face their fears than to go out into the world.

What exactly took place during the Samhain celebration?

It doesn’t seem like a very joyous holiday when you think about it, yet most of the Samhain events revolved around the fire and the dead. Every fire that was burning in people’s houses was extinguished, and a large bonfire was erected in the middle of each hamlet. It was believed that the fire has curative and protecting properties, and it served as the focal point of the celebration.

Afterward, everybody who want to carry this holiness into their own houses was required to start their fire using flames taken from the bonfire.

There were many other ceremonies that took place around the campfire, including the sacrifice of animals, music, and dancing.

According to some versions of the story, a purification ceremony consisted of individuals stepping in between two flames that had been constructed next to one other and guiding their animals through the process as well. Along with the skeletons of killed cattle, ‘wicker men’ were also thrown over the fire. Wicker men were composed of food, bones, or even animals (or maybe even people) enclosed in wicker cages.

A massive feast was another important component of the festivities, and it was held over the course of more than one day on either side of the actual day of the festival itself. It was a good chance to get rid of perishable items before the winter set in, and as it was often a time when large groups of people got together for big meetings, it made sense to host a feast regardless of the reason for coming together.

The rural Celts had a lot of work to do around the time of Samhain since they needed to bring their cows in from the pasture for the winter, decide which ones to the butcher for food, and get ready for the harvest. After all of that had been completed, it is safe to assume that all they want was a delicious lunch that was still warm.

All of the doorways to a house would have been left open so that the spirits may come and go as they pleased. A specific quantity of food and a seat at the table was reserved for any deceased family members who chose to come back to their homes for the celebration.

The food that was meant for the dead was not allowed to be touched by human hands between the hours of sunset and sunset because this was considered to be a terrible act of sacrilege and meant that the person who committed it would become a hungry spirit after they passed away and would never be allowed to participate in the Samhain celebration again.

The rituals and traditions of Samhain

There were also plenty of odd practices that were carried out throughout the time of Samhain. The Celts had an irrational dread of fairies, and since they were believed to be at their most powerful around Samhain, food offerings were often placed outside of people’s homes in the hope that the fairies would remain in a good mood. It was also standard practice for people to disguise themselves by wearing masks and switching up their wardrobes so that the fairies would have a difficult time distinguishing between individuals in the event that they chose to take any souls.

As a part of the festivities, the individuals in disguise would go from house to house singing in exchange for a small token of food; if the homeowner was not obliging, they threatened to cause all kinds of mischief in the vein of an evil spirit descending on the house. This sounds a little bit like trick or treating, doesn’t it?

In addition to hiding their identities with masks, pranksters would carry lanterns manufactured from vegetables such as turnips that had been hollowed out. These lanterns had two purposes: they provided light and offered safety (those evil spirits and fairies had no mercy). They would often carve monstrous faces onto their lanterns so that anyone walking by would think the lanterns belonged to demons.

Children and adults alike would participate in a variety of activities designed to keep the dead entertained. These activities would include rehashing the events of the previous year, with the hope that the dead would maintain an interest in the goings-on of the living, as well as incorporating a number of child’s games into the ritual practices themselves.

Additionally, obligations owed to both the living and the deceased were settled during the Samhain holiday. There was a general ceasefire observed, and during that time, conversations and amicable contests took place amongst tribes who would not have interacted with each other outside of the battlefield otherwise.

People from the communities in the area would remove some of the ashes that were left behind after the bonfires burned out because they believed that doing so would bring about a bountiful crop. The ashes did, in fact, make the soil better in spite of everything, so this was one notion that was proven correct each year.

How did the celebration of Samhain become Halloween?

Once Christianity was introduced to Ireland, traditional Celtic holidays such as Samhain and others were “Christianized.” Samhain, also known as the Festival of the Dead, was renamed the Festival of All Saints and Martyrs, also known as All Saints Day because the early Christians on the island were determined to do all in their power to eradicate pagan ceremonies and spread their religion all across the island.

When the Pope of the time moved it to November 1st, he did so in order to ‘incorporate’ the pagan feast, which had previously been celebrated in March. Even though people adopted the new holiday as their own, the traditional rituals and practices that were linked with Samhain continued to be practiced for many decades after the holiday had been replaced. There were even a few of them that survived all the way up to the current day!

Next

 A Guide To Fairies and Fairyland

Related Posts

  1. A Guide To Fairies and Fairyland
  2. The Celts – A Guide to Their Culture
  3. A Guide To Popular Halloween Traditional Customs
  4. Top 10 Scary Irish Mythological Creatures
Celtic Holidays, Celtic Jewelry, Celtic Legends, Halloween, Irish Jewelry, News

Have you Ever Heard of the Legend of the Celtic Cat?

The Legend of the Celtic Cat

In Celtic folklore there is a magical set of cats or “fairy cats”. In Scotland they are known as the cait sith. In Ireland they are called cait sidhe. Whether Gaelic or Scotch Gaelic they are both pronounced as “caught shee”. The cait sidhe aren’t your ordinary felines, they are thought as fairies, even witches, and as spirit creatures that merely take the form of a cat. Those that have seen them describe them as being unusually large, all black cats with a spot of white fur on their chest. Generally, the cait sidhe is viewed as fearsome and was used as a symbol by Celtic warriors.

Our Celtic Cat Pendant is absolutely purrrr-fect! This beautifully diamond accented Celtic Cat Pendant with black enamel pays tribute to the cait sidhe. The cait sidhe is a mythical fairy creature in Scottish and Irish folklore.

Read more about Celtic Halloween Origins, Samhain Traditions, and Halloween Superstitions online at The Irish Jewelry Company.

Shop Halloween Celtic jewelry like the Celtic Cat Pendant , Celtic Fairy Pendant and the Celtic Owl Jewelry at The Irish Jewelry Jewelry Company

Celtic Holidays, Celtic Legends, Halloween, Interesting Stories, Irish Traditions, News

The Celtic Origins of Halloween and Halloween Traditions

As children and adults around the world take part in the spooky festivities of Halloween on the night of October 31st, All Hallows Eve, few know of its ancient Irish Celtic roots in the Samhain (Samain) festival.

Read more about Celtic Halloween Origins, Samhain Traditions, and Halloween Superstitions online at The Irish Jewelry Company.

Shop Halloween jewelry like the Celtic Cat Pendant , Celtic Fairy Pendant and the Celtic Owl Jewelry at The Irish Jewelry Jewelry Company

Irish Halloween Traditions and Halloween Origins. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.theirishjewelrycompany.com/irish_halloween_traditions_halloween_origins.

Celtic Legends, Halloween, Irish Traditions

The Origins of Halloween Costumes

On Halloween night children would dress up in scary costumes and go house to house. ‘Help the Halloween Party’ and ‘Trick or Treat’ were the cries to be heard at each door.

This tradition of wearing costumes also dates back to Celtic times. On the special night when the living and the dead were at their closest the Celtic Druids would dress up in elaborate costume

On Halloween night children would dress up in scary costumes and go house to house. Phrases like “Help the Halloween Party” and “Trick or Treat” were the cries to be heard at each door. Halloween beliefs, customs, and costumes migrated with the first wave of Irish and Scottish immigrants that arrived in the United States in the 18th century. These immigrants came from Ireland and Scotland.

Immigrants from Ireland who were escaping a potato famine brought the tradition of Halloween to the United States in the 1840s. At that time, some of the most popular pranks in New England consisted of knocking down outhouses and removing fence gates off their hinges.

According to Irish folklore, Samhain was a time when the boundaries between our world and the Otherworld — the place where the souls of the deceased and other spirits reside — were at their most porous or even completely disintegrated. By the time the year 1500 rolled around, it can be said for certain that two customs were already in place: guising and mummingMumming is a term that refers to the plays performed by mummers. These plays often contain some type of conflict and the resurrection of a figure who has previously died. Guising was an early version of trick-or-treating that included youngsters dressing up in costumes and going door to door in search of presents like food or money. Some sources link the practice of guising to the belief that dressing up as monsters or spirits would protect one from them if they crossed over from Otherworld. It was believed that these beings would avoid humans because they wouldn’t be able to tell humans apart from other types of creatures if they wore masks or costumes.

Around the start of the nineteenth century, Halloween began to transition into being seen as a holiday that was more appropriate for the whole family.

Following the adoption of trick-or-treating and neighborhood Halloween parades throughout the United States, it was only a matter of time before commercial enterprises began to capitalize on the holiday’s growing popularity. During World War I, greeting cards with Halloween imagery first became available. In 1919, Ruth Edna Kelley published her seminal work titled The Book of Hallowe’en, which brought together a lot of the history and folklore of Halloween for the first time in one place. The following year, the Beistle Company began to introduce a range of Halloween decorations, such as paper skeletons. Today, Halloween is celebrated all over the world. During this same time period, new archetypes for Halloween costumes started to emerge, such as children dressing up as soldiers, police officers, or firefighters. In the 1930s, the A.S. Fishbach, Inc. firm raised the bar by being the first to get a license from Walt Disney to manufacture costumes based on characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

Where did the custom of dressing up in costumes for Halloween originate?

The custom dates back to the ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain, during which time people lit bonfires and dressed up in costumes in an effort to fend off spirits. Pope Gregory III, who reigned in the seventh century, established November 1 as the day on which all saints are honored.

Who was the one who created the very first Halloween costume?

It is thought that the first reference to dressing up for Halloween occurred in Scotland in 1585; however, it is most probable that the practice was a common occurrence before that time. The ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain is credited with being the origin of the custom of dressing up in costumes. During this time, people would burn bonfires and dress up in costumes in order to fend off spirits.

This tradition of wearing Halloween costumes also dates back to Celtic times. On the special night when the living and the dead were at their closest, the Celtic Druids would dress up in elaborate costumes to disguise themselves as spirits and devils in case they encountered other devils and spirits during the night. By disguising they hoped that they would be able to avoid being carried away at the end of the night. This explains why witches, goblins, and ghosts remain the most popular choices for costumes.

When did people in the United States first start dressing up for Halloween?

As trick-or-treating gained popularity throughout North America in the 1930s, a number of companies, including A.S. Fishbach and Ben Cooper, Inc., started mass-producing Halloween costumes for retail sale. These costumes could be found in shops. At Halloween, people often dress up as monsters and otherworldly creatures to scare their friends.

 

 

 to disguise themselves as spirits and devils in case they encountered other devils and spirits during the night. By disguising they hoped that they would be able to avoid being carried away at the end of the night. This explains why witches, goblins and ghosts remain the most popular choices for the costumes.

 

On Halloween night children would dress up in scary costumes and go house to house. ‘Help the Halloween Party’ and ‘Trick or Treat’ were the cries to be heard at each door.

This tradition of wearing costumes also dates back to Celtic times. On the special night when the living and the dead were at their closest the Celtic Druids would dress up in elaborate costume

On Halloween night children would dress up in scary costumes and go house to house. Phrases like “Help the Halloween Party” and “Trick or Treat” were the cries to be heard at each door. Halloween beliefs, customs, and costumes migrated with the first wave of Irish and Scottish immigrants that arrived in the United States in the 18th century. These immigrants came from Ireland and Scotland.

Immigrants from Ireland who were escaping a potato famine brought the tradition of Halloween to the United States in the 1840s. At that time, some of the most popular pranks in New England consisted of knocking down outhouses and removing fence gates off their hinges.

According to Irish folklore, Samhain was a time when the boundaries between our world and the Otherworld — the place where the souls of the deceased and other spirits reside — were at their most porous or even completely disintegrated. By the time the year 1500 rolled around, it can be said for certain that two customs were already in place: guising and mummingMumming is a term that refers to the plays performed by mummers. These plays often contain some type of conflict and the resurrection of a figure who has previously died. Guising was an early version of trick-or-treating that included youngsters dressing up in costumes and going door to door in search of presents like food or money. Some sources link the practice of guising to the belief that dressing up as monsters or spirits would protect one from them if they crossed over from Otherworld. It was believed that these beings would avoid humans because they wouldn’t be able to tell humans apart from other types of creatures if they wore masks or costumes.

Around the start of the nineteenth century, Halloween began to transition into being seen as a holiday that was more appropriate for the whole family.

Following the adoption of trick-or-treating and neighborhood Halloween parades throughout the United States, it was only a matter of time before commercial enterprises began to capitalize on the holiday’s growing popularity. During World War I, greeting cards with Halloween imagery first became available. In 1919, Ruth Edna Kelley published her seminal work titled The Book of Hallowe’en, which brought together a lot of the history and folklore of Halloween for the first time in one place. The following year, the Beistle Company began to introduce a range of Halloween decorations, such as paper skeletons. Today, Halloween is celebrated all over the world. During this same time period, new archetypes for Halloween costumes started to emerge, such as children dressing up as soldiers, police officers, or firefighters. In the 1930s, the A.S. Fishbach, Inc. firm raised the bar by being the first to get a license from Walt Disney to manufacture costumes based on characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

Where did the custom of dressing up in costumes for Halloween originate?

The custom dates back to the ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain, during which time people lit bonfires and dressed up in costumes in an effort to fend off spirits. Pope Gregory III, who reigned in the seventh century, established November 1 as the day on which all saints are honored.

Who was the one who created the very first Halloween costume?

It is thought that the first reference to dressing up for Halloween occurred in Scotland in 1585; however, it is most probable that the practice was a common occurrence before that time. The ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain is credited with being the origin of the custom of dressing up in costumes. During this time, people would burn bonfires and dress up in costumes in order to fend off spirits.

This tradition of wearing Halloween costumes also dates back to Celtic times. On the special night when the living and the dead were at their closest, the Celtic Druids would dress up in elaborate costumes to disguise themselves as spirits and devils in case they encountered other devils and spirits during the night. By disguising they hoped that they would be able to avoid being carried away at the end of the night. This explains why witches, goblins, and ghosts remain the most popular choices for costumes.

When did people in the United States first start dressing up for Halloween?

As trick-or-treating gained popularity throughout North America in the 1930s, a number of companies, including A.S. Fishbach and Ben Cooper, Inc., started mass-producing Halloween costumes for retail sale. These costumes could be found in shops. At Halloween, people often dress up as monsters and otherworldly creatures to scare their friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 to disguise themselves as spirits and devils in case they encountered other devils and spirits during the night. By disguising they hoped that they would be able to avoid being carried away at the end of the night. This explains why witches, goblins and ghosts remain the most popular choices for the costumes.

 

Celtic Legends, Halloween, Irish Traditions

The Dullahan, the Irish Headless Horseman

Have you ever heard about “The Dullahan”, the Irish Headless Horseman?

The Irish legend of the Dullahan, or English translation “dark man” is unnerving. The AdobeStock_56147609.jpegHeadless Horseman or Dullahan is the Irish foreteller of death. The Dullahan rides a jet black horse with flames shooting from its eyes, carrying his head under one arm. Irish folklore says that when he stops riding, a human dies.
There are many versions of this scary tale. Some say that the Dullahan throws buckets of blood at people he passes, while other say he simply calls out the name of the mortal that will soon die.


But as with most evil entities the Dullahan has a weakness. The Dullahan can not stand the sight of GOLD. So you would be wise when traveling on this Halloween to carry a wee bit of in case you have a run-in with this headless horror!

Read more about Celtic Halloween Traditions and Origins. Shop Irish Halloween Gifts.

Celtic Legends, Halloween, Interesting Stories

The Halloween Samhain Bonfire in Ireland

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THE BONFIRE

The Halloween Superstition says the bonfire is an Irish tradition to encourage dreams of who your future husband or wife is going to be. The idea was to drop a cutting of your hair into the burning embers and then dream of you future loved one.

Halloween was one of the Celt ‘fire’ celebrations. The bonfire has long been associated with Halloween and continues to be a common tradition in much of the Halloween celebrating world.

The ancient practice of lighting large fires dates back to the festival of Samhain  now known as Halloween. It is the celebration of summer’s end and the beginning of the dark season or winter. Samhain marks the end of the harvest and the old year. It is also the beginning of the new year and up coming harvest season . On the eve of Samhain, young people would go from house to house asking for offerings of food and kindling for the Samhain bonfires fires. The following day, the traditional day of Samhain, November 1st, people would extinguish their hearth fires and gather together to light large fires on sacred hill tops in honor of and to make offerings to the gods.

 

Celtic Legends, Halloween, Interesting Stories

The Dullahan – The Irish Headless Horseman

The Irish legend of the Dullahan, or English translation “dark man” is unnerving. The Headless Horseman or Dullahan is the Irishdullahan the irish jewelry company foreteller of death. The Dullahan rides a jet black horse with flames shooting from its eyes, carrying his head under one arm. Irish folklore says that when he stops riding, a human dies.


There are many versions of this scary tale. Some say that the Dullahan throws buckets of blood at people he passes, while other say he simply calls out the name of the mortal that will soon die.
But as with most evil entities the Dullahan has a weakness. The Dullahan can not stand the sight of GOLD. So you would be wise when traveling on this Halloween to carry a wee bit of in case you have a run-in with this headless horror!

Halloween

The Banshee | Scream of the Banshee

The Banshee…. bean-sidhe (woman of the fairy may be an ancestral spirit appointed to forewarn members of certain ancient 220px-BansheeIrish families of their time of death. According to tradition, the banshee can only cry for five major Irish families: the O’Neills, the O’Briens, the O’Connors, the O’Gradys and the Kavanaghs. Intermarriage has since extended this select list.
Whatever her origins, the banshee chiefly appears in one of three guises: a young woman, a stately matron or a raddled old hag. These represent the triple aspects of the Celtic goddess of war and death, namely Badhbh, Macha and Mor-Rioghain.) She usually wears either a grey, hooded cloak or the winding sheet or grave robe of the unshriven dead. She may also appear as a washer-woman, and is seen apparently washing the blood stained clothes of those who are about to die. In this guise she is known as the bean-nighe (washing woman).
Although not always seen, her mourning call is heard, usually at night when someone is about to die.

Halloween, Irish Recipes, Irish Traditions

Barmbrack Recipe

Barmbrack is the center of an Irish Halloween or Samhain custom. The Halloween Brack traditionally contained various objects baked into the bread and was used as a sort of fortune-telling game. In the barmbrack were: a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin (originally a silver sixpence) and a ring, maybe a claddagh ring. Each item, when received in the slice, was supposed to carry a meaning to the person concerned: the pea, the person would not marry that year; the stick, would have an unhappy marriage or continually be in disputes; the cloth or rag, would have bad luck or be 12002851_1068039236547381_8260594681565605031_npoor; the coin, would enjoy good fortune or be rich; and the ring, would be wed within the year. Other articles added to the brack include a medallion, usually of the Virgin Mary to symbolize going into the priesthood or to the Nuns, although this tradition is not widely continued in the present day.

Barmbrack (Irish: bairín breac), also called Barnbrack or often shortened to brack, is a yeasted bread with added sultanas and raisins.

Barm Brack – Arán Breac (Speckled Bread)
Ingredients:
1 lb flour
6 oz sugar
1 lb mixed dried fruit
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp all spice/mixed spice
Pot of hot Irish tea

The Irish ‘lucky’ ingredients: (can be a choking hazard for small children)
‘gold’ ring, to foretell marriage within a year
small coin, to forecast wealth
small piece of cloth to forecast poverty
little piece matchstick to forecast the husband will beat his wife
thimble to forecast spinsterhood
button to forecast bachelorhood

Method:
Wrap each ‘lucky’ item carefully in wax paper.
The trick to making a Barm Brack like soda bread is the soaking of fruit overnight in the
tea. While this makes the dried fruit softer and more appealing in general,
one must be careful when mixing the dough not to over-knead or the
re-hydrated fruit will crumble. Add the sugar and egg to the fruit mix the next day. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients. Mix gently. Stir in the wrapped ‘lucky’ items and try to distribute them evenly. Use a 7″ round
baking tin at 350°F for 80 minutes. Cool on a wire baking rack.

The Brack can be made a week in advance and stored in an air-tight
container. It is traditional that only he/she who has baked the cake should
cut and serve the slices, as only he/she may know where are the ‘lucky’
items and will distribute them equitably!!

Halloween, Irish Recipes, Irish Traditions

Colcannon (I love this stuff) A tradition Halloween meal.

12042678_10156171951110245_934213265156568500_nColcannon Recipe

Ingredients:
• 1 lb potatoes
• 1 lb kale or cabbage
• Onion or leek
• 1/4 cup milk
• Butter, salt and pepper

Directions:
First peel and boil the potatoes. Then chop the kale or cabbage up small. Steam cabbage until tender, about 8 minutes. Then saute the onion until golden. Mash the potatoes well, and mix with the cabbage and onion. Add a wee bit of milk and butter to get that creamy consistency. Then salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a medium oven for about 15 minutes.

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